North America Distribution

Facts About

Carpet bugle is a non-native plant that is used in gardening as a groundcover with attractive vertical spikes of flowers and semi-evergreen foliage. Several cultivars have been developed. It occurs in New England as an escapee from cultivation.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields

Characteristics

Habitat

terrestrial

New England state

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Vermont

Flower petal color

blue to purple

pink to red

white

Leaf type

the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Leaf arrangement

opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

Leaf blade edges

the edge of the leaf blade has teeth

the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

Flower symmetry

there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)

Flowers

the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

Anther spurs

the anthers do not have spurs on them

Anther tube length

0 mm

Calyx growth after flowering

the calyx grows to cover or partially cover the fruit

Calyx symmetry

there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

Carpel hairs

the carpels have hairs, but they are not thick and woolly

the carpels have no hairs

Carpels fused

the carpels are fused to one another

Cilia on petals

the petal margins have cilia

Cleistogamous flowers

there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

Corolla morphology

the flower has two prominent lips

Corolla palate

no

Corona lobe length

0 mm

Epicalyx

the flower does not have an epicalyx

Epicalyx number of parts

0

Filament length

2–3 mm

Filament surface

the filament has rough hairs or scales on it

the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

Flower appearance

the flowers appear after the leaves have appeared

Flower description

the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

Flower orientation

the flower points upwards or is angled outwards

Flower petal color

blue to purple

pink to red

white

Flower reproductive parts

the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

Flower symmetry

there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)

Flowers sunken into stem

no

Form of style

the style is lobed at the tip, and unbranched

Fringed petal edges

the petals are not fringed

Fused stamen clusters

NA

Fusion of sepals and petals

the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube

Hairs on flower stalk

NA

Hairs on inflorescence

at least some of the hairs on the axis of the inflorescence have glands

the axis of the inflorescence has hairs entirely without glands

Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

NA

Hypanthium

the flower does not have a hypanthium

Hypanthium length

0 mm

Inflorescence one-sided

the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

Inner tepals (Rumex)

NA

Interior flower disk

the flower has an interior disc

Length of flower stalk

0 mm

Marks on petals

there are no noticeable marks on the petals

Nectar spur

the flower has no nectar spurs

Number of branches in umbel

0

Number of carpels

2

Number of pistils

1

Number of sepals, petals or tepals

there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

Number of styles

1

Ovary position

the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

Perianth shape

NA

Petal and sepal arrangement

the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

Petal and sepal colors

blue to purple

pink to red

white

Petal appearance

the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

Petal base

the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base

Petal folding in bud

the petals in bud are arranged in a cycle with edges overlapping like roof shingles (imbricate)

Petal folds or pleats

the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

Petal glandular dots or scales

no

Petal hairs (Viola)

NA

Petal hairs on inner/upper surface

there are hairs on the inner/upper petal surface

Petal length

14–17 mm

Petal length relative to sepals

the petals are longer than the sepals

Petal nectaries

the petals do not have nectaries

Petal number

2–5

Petal tip shape

the petal tip is rounded

Petal tips (Cuscuta)

NA

Petal width

2–4 mm

Raceme attachment (Veronica)

NA

Reproductive system

all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

Scales inside corolla

no

Sepal and petal color

the sepals are different from the petals

Sepal appearance

the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture

Sepal appendages

the sepals do not have appendages on them

Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

NA

Sepal auricles

the sepals have no auricles

Sepal cilia

the sepals have cilia on their edges

Sepal color

green to brown

Sepal length

4–6 mm

Sepal number

5

Sepal relative length

the sepal lobes are approximately the same length as the fused portion

Sepal texture

the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture

Sepal tip shape

the sepal tip is acuminate (tapers to a very narrow point)

Sepal uniformity

all the sepals are about the same size

Sepals fused only to sepals

the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases

Spur length

0 mm

Spur number

NA

Stamen appendages

stamen appendages are absent

Stamen attachment

the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals

Stamen lengths differ

the stamens are didynamous (two long stamens and two short ones)

Stamen morphology

the stamens within a cycle differ in length or width

Stamen number

4

Stamen position relative to petals

NA

Stamen relative length

anything

Staminodes

there are no staminodes on the flower

Stigma position

the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style

Style length

Up to 9 mm

Style petal-like

the styles are not petal-like

Style relative length

the stigma protrudes beyond the mouth of the corolla

Surface of ovary

the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles

Umbel flower reproductive parts

NA

Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

the upper lip of the bilabiate corolla has one lobe

the upper lip of the bilabiate corolla lacks a lobe

Fruits or seeds

Achene relative orientation

NA

Achene shape

NA

Achene surface (Polygonum)

NA

Achene type

NA

Berry color

NA

Capsule color (Viola)

NA

Capsule ribs

NA

Capsule splitting

NA

Carpel beak length

0 mm

Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

NA

Fruit beak length

0 mm

Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

NA

Fruit locules

four

Fruit stalk orientation

NA

Fruit type (general)

the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe

Fruit type (specific)

the fruit is a schizocarp (when dry it splits into sections, each holding one or more seeds)

Hairs on fruit

the fruits are not hairy

the fruits have hairs on them

Legumes (Fabaceae)

NA

Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

NA

Other markings on berry

NA

Ovary stipe

the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

Ovary stipe length

0 mm

Placenta arrangement

the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves

Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

NA

Schizocarpic fruit compression

the fruit is not flattened

Schizocarpic fruit segments

4

Seed number

1–4

Seed relative length

the seed is longer than it is wide

Seed surface

the seed is covered with reticulate markings (a netlike pattern due to splitting and rejoining of lines or ridges)

Seeds comose

no hairs

Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

NA

Wings on fruit

the fruit does not have wings on it

prickles on fruits

the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

Glands or sap

Glands on leaf blade

the leaf blades have glandular dots or scales

Sap

the sap is clear and watery

Sap color

the sap is clear

Growth form

Growth form

the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)

Horizontal rooting stem

the plant has stolons

Lifespan

the plant lives more than two years

Parasitism

the plant is not parasitic

Plant color

the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

Plants darken when dry

no

Spines on plant

the plant has no spines

Underground organs

the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)

Leaves

Bracteole edges

NA

Bracteole length

0 mm

Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

0

Bracteole shape

NA

Bracteoles

there are no bracteoles on the plant

Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

NA

Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)

0 mm

Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

0

Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

0 mm

Floral bract texture

the floral bracts are green, with a leaf-like texture

Floral bracts

the flower has one or more bracts associated with it

Hairs on leaf stalk

the petiole has hairs on it

the petiole has no hairs on it

Hairs on underside of leaf

the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

Hairs on upper side of leaf

the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

Hooked hairs on underside of leaf

no

Inflated hairs on leaf

the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it

Leaf arrangement

opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

Leaf blade base

the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)

the leaf has no stalk

Leaf blade base shape

the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

Leaf blade base symmetry

the leaf blade base is symmetrical

Leaf blade bloom

the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom

Leaf blade edges

the edge of the leaf blade has teeth

the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

Leaf blade flatness

the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges

Leaf blade hairs

the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips

the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly

Leaf blade primary vein pattern

the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein

Leaf blade shape

the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)

the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

the leaf blade is spatulate (spoon-shaped; narrow near the base, then suddenly widening to a rounded tip)

Leaf blade surface colors

the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

Leaf blade texture

the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)

Leaf blade vein pattern

the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin

Leaf blade veins

the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)

Leaf duration

the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

the leaves remain green all winter

Leaf form

the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

Leaf hair orientation

the hairs are standing up straight or curved in different directions

Leaf sheath length

0 mm

Leaf shiny

the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny

Leaf spines

there are no spines on the leaf edges

Leaf stalk

the leaves have leaf stalks

the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem

Leaf stalk attachment to leaf

NA

the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade

Leaf stalk base

NA

the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem

Leaf stalk length

At least 0 mm

Leaf teeth and lobes

the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

the leaf blade margin has rounded teeth

the leaf blade margin is wavy, but does not have teeth

Leaf tip

the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point

Leaf type

the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Leaf types

There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

Leaf variation

the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves

Leaflet number

0

Leaflet petiolules

NA

Leaves per node

there are two leaves per node along the stem

Pinnately compound leaf type

NA

Specific leaf type

the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Stipels

NA

Stipule edges

NA

Stipule features

NA

Stipule fused to leaf stalk

NA

Stipule length

0 mm

Stipule shape

NA

Stipules

there are no stipules on the plant

Teeth per side of leaf blade

At least 0

Place

Habitat

terrestrial

New England state

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Vermont

Specific habitat

man-made or disturbed habitats

meadows or fields

Scent

Plant odor

the plant has a pleasant smell, for example anise, fruit, mint or resin

Stem, shoot, branch

Branched tendrils

NA

Direction of stem hairs

the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards

Flowering stem cross-section

the flowering stem is roughly square

Hair between stem nodes

the stem has hairs between the nodes

the stem has no hairs between the nodes

Hairs between stem nodes

the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled

Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

no

Leaves on stem

there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

Plant height

10–30 cm

Stem bloom

there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem

Stem hair distribution

the hairs on the stem are arranged in lines running down the stem from the edges of the leaf bases

Stem nodes swollen

the stem is not swollen at the nodes

Stem orientation

the stems are upright or angled outwards

the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips

Stem roughness between nodes

the stem does not feel rough

Stem spacing

the plant is growing in tufts, or compact clusters with closely spaced stems, or it is densely matted together in clumps, cushionlike

the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together

Stem succulence

the stems are not succulent

Tendril origin

NA

Tendrils

the plant does not have tendrils

Wings on stem

the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland Status

Not classified

New England Distribution and Conservation Status

Distribution

Connecticut

present

Maine

present

Massachusetts

present

New Hampshire

present

Rhode Island

present

Vermont

present

Conservation Status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to
state. For details, please check with your state.